How to House Train a Dog

The Resource for Everything About Dogs

How to House Train a Dog

by Mikee Dunn

When I first got a puppy for my kids, a few concerns came rushing into my head. The biggest concern I had was how to house train a dog. I grew up with cats, so I don?t have that experience. Cats are easy. You show them the litter box once, and they defecate there for life. The only dogs I ever was exposed to were farm dogs. Those live outside and in the barns, so it doesn?t matter where they do their business. But now this is my house, where it does matter.

Puppies should be house trained at 8-12 weeks of age. This is prime learning age for any pup or any breed. Puppies are like babies: they defecate constantly. On average, a puppy might have to go release something every three hours. So make sure that you are watching it, looking out for signs of sniffing around or intense staring. This is usually a sign of impending bowel movements. Take the dog out immediately into the yard. Make sure that during the training process, you always take the dog outside through the same door. This will eventually teach your dog to stand and wait by the door if he has to go.

Eventually your dog will learn. But it is important to know that this will take time. Throwing your hands up in the air and giving up might be the easiest thing to do, but it?s not the best thing. Listen, nobody likes cleaning dog excrement off the carpet, but if it means that for the next fifteen years you have a wonderful companion who will never leave your side or poop on carpet again, then it is definitely worth it.

Some other quick suggestions I?ve heard from family and friends but never tried myself:

1. Using a deep voice when you command your dog to do something will teach the dog that low tones mean business.

2. Telling your dog to ?hurry up? when you two stand outside waiting for the puppy to finish its business.

3. If you catch a dog ?in the act? inside the house, run up to him and say ?no? and then drag him outside.

Once again, if you want to know how to house train a dog, all you need is a little bit of patience and a high tolerance for canine bodily fluids....I promise you... It's not nearly as hard or gross as you might initially think :)